The Story of Emilia King
by Blackfishy
Summary: One girl, one person to walk into. And her world is turned around. Emmy King meets Fagin, and before long he invites her to be a pickpocket with his gang. When she and Dodger first meet, teeth are bared and hackles raised, but soon, Dodger warms to her...
1. A New Recruit

**Disclaimer – I don't own any of these characters, Charles Dickens does... and everyone else who made the films and the musical... **

**Hey there...**

**i have never written an Oliver! Story before, but i love the film, and just had to!**

**Some of the facts may be wrong, and if there are things that don't fit with the film please let me know... kindly ( Some ages might be wrong, but I'm afraid that they need to be like this for the story to work . Oh yeah, and Nancy lives in my version...**

**Special thanks to Ash Light, because one of the characters in her version has the same name as one of mine, and is the same boy, simply because, after reading Black and Purple Stockings, I couldn't think of him with any other name!**

Chapter 1 – A new recruit...

Emilia King was no ordinary girl. She had been living on the streets of London since her mother died of consumption. She had been six then. Now, at the age of fourteen she was as streetwise as any urchin. She stole and begged her living, by cunning... and by looking sad and innocent in front of wealthy ladies and gentlemen...

She was an attractive girl, although she herself didn't know it (and she'd never really thought about it either!), with large blue eyes. Her hair, in loose black curls, hung frizzy and tangled in loose bunches reaching just past her shoulders. She was slender, but lithe and strong. Her face was pale and thin, but dark lashes and fairly good features just about made up for her scrawniness. She wore a tattered dark green dress, and stockings that were once upon a time grey, but were now full of holes and muddy. Her clothes were getting a little small, uncomfortably tight around her chest and the top of her arms, but clothes were so expensive... She had a floppy dark green woollen hat on the back of her head, like a beret.

She skulked behind the market stalls, pursing her lips. She wiped the sweat and grime from her forehead, London was like an oven in the summer months. Swiping an apple from a nearby stall, she slunk down an alleyway, rummaging in the pocket of her filthy apron for her money, just to check it was still there. Swearing like a sailor at the discovery that she had lost two of her precious pennies, she didn't see a stooping man coming the other way.

Fagin stumped out of the Whipping Stocks Inn, scowling at the thought of his three oldest lads, who had just left him to find honest work (why he couldn't imagine) They had been some of his best 'earners' and without them, cash had decreased rapidly, although the Dodger was doing his best... Fagin smiled wanly at the thought of what was now his best worker. Everything seemed to be going wrong at the moment. Seeing as they had been thrown out of the warehouse by the police when Bill was shot a few weeks ago, he had had to find an old house to inhabit. He had then had to regather his posessions and round up his pickpockets. All this _and_ Nancy was in a state about Bill's death...

Too busy thinking about his own misfortunes, the whole house was in uproar because Bill was no longer there to scare the boys when they got out of hand, and Fagin was sick of it. At least one of them staggered home drunk just about every night. Oliver had left too, to go and live with his rich family, so that was another worker lost...

He suddenly walked straight into someone coming the other way. He helped them up grudgingly, then realised that she was a girl. She looked young, thirteen or fourteen, and was shouting something about money and mud.

Fagin looked her up and down, '_An urchin alright_' his brain prompted.

"What's your name gel?"

The girl looked up, startled by the question, he long side fringe falling in her eyes

"Emmy" she said warily, "And yourself?"

"Fagin," he replied shortly "Now, erm, Emmy, y'll be needin' to make some money?"

"I ain't no prostitute" came the icy reply

Fagin winced _'there's one plan outta the window..._'

"Course you're not darlin', I'm talkin' 'bout thievin', pick pocketin'"

Emmy nodded slowly, her eyes never leaving his face, her eyes narrowed with suspicion,

Fagin continued "You give me some of your earnin's, and I feed and 'ouse you"

She nodded again, he felt her icy demeanour begin to melt

"OK Mister Fagin"

"This way" he led her down winding back alleys and streets for a couple of minutes, then they reached the house.

"Now go inside, tell 'em I sent you, and ask for Nancy"

Emmy nodded

"And where would you be off to sir?"

Fagin hesitated,  
"Business, darlin' business..." and he hurried off.

Emmy trod slowly towards the door. When she got in, she shut the door behind her and looked around. There was a moth eaten sofa on one side of the room, a stove in the corner, and two doors leading off.

Before a minute had passed, the door on the left opened, and a boy about her ages stumbled out. He had dark hair, dark eyes, and was a good looking lad. He had on his head a very battered top hat, and wore clothes that, although they were a strange assortment and rather frayed and dirty, suited him. When he saw her, he froze.

"Hullo" greeted Emmy "Fagin sent me 'ere, could you give me an 'and? I don't really know where anything i-"

"What's your name?" the boy interrupted

"Emmy"

"Jack Dawkins, but you can call me the Artful Dodger, or just Dodger"

'_I'm honoured_' Emmy thought sarcastically

Dodger stared at Emmy, this girl who had just walked in and announced that she was working with him and the others. It worried him. He was a normal teenage boy, he would make a fool of himself with a girl around... ah well, he would adopt his favourite tactic, piss the hell out of her...

'_her eyes are scary, and she's a bit headstrong_' he thought '_but I bet she's pretty under all that grime..._' he mentally slapped himself.

"A lass can't work here" he said a trifle sulkily

"Why not?" the scorn in her voice was enough to make warning bells go off in his head

'_RUN NOW, BEFORE SHE KILLS YOU, FOOL RUN!!_'

But he didn't.

"'cause girls need lookin' after"

She shot him a withering look, he quailed.

"Where's Nancy?" she had abandoned the argument, and basically dismissed him.

"I'll take you to 'er," he spat, feeling a stronger and stronger urge to annoy this girl, but refusing to bow down to it. He led Emmy up the stairs that were through the other door, and into another room, just as shabby as the other one, but this one had a pretty lady, sat darning in a wooden chair.

"Nancy, I've got a new 'un for you, it's a gel" Dodger said moodily, before exiting and slamming the door.

"What a... a... 'orrid... argh!" Emmy flung her hands up in the air.

Nancy laughed

"He don't mean any 'arm, 'e's just not used to gels, 'e'll come around. What's your name darlin'?"

"Emmy King"

"You _are_ a pretty gel aren't you?! We must try and clean you up a _bit_ at least..."

An hour later, a much cleaner Emmy struggled from Nancy's clutches. Her hair now coiled neatly in spiralling curls, although it was once again put in loose, low bunches. Most of the grime had gone from her face and hands, and her fringe was untangled, although her clothes were as filthy as ever.

Nancy smiled, she was feeling happier with this girl around, she gave her someone to look after and mother.

"Much better Emmy, not that it'll last," Nancy gestured towards a dirty mirror in the corner of the room.

Emmy peered at her reflection, and couldn't help but crack a grin. She looked nicer than she had ever thought herself.

"Thanks Nancy" she mumbled

"S'alright, you'd better go back down, Fagin will 'ave 'dinner' if you can call it that, and Dodger should be waiting to apologise... although I say _should_. You mustn't take what 'e says to 'eart darlin'"

"OK" Emmy slipped out of the room.

She opened the door at the bottom of the stairs and stepped out. She immediately felt as if she had been thrown onto a stage. All heads turned to look at her. The room was now full of boys her age and younger. She felt her face grow slightly warm as they all looked at her.

Then Fagin spoke

"Ah, Emmy m'dear... food" he handed her a few chunks of bread and a bit of cheese, "Boys! This here is Emmy, she'll be workin' with you now, just show 'er the ropes, y'know!" Fagin grinned a gap toothed smile, unusual for him, and disappeared up the stairs.

The boys all started talking again, and Emmy sat down on the nearest crate 'seat'. She noticed Dodger looking at her out of the corner of his eye. Then she was distracted as a few of the boys started talking to her.

Dodger let out a low whistle to himself, she didn't half clean up well, but he was not her friend, so he was not going to think of her like that

_'bloody hell I'm immature today' _he thought moodily. He caught her gaze for a minute, but then Barnsey started to talk to her, and she looked away.

"God" he murmured.

"What's up Dodge?" Charlie asked curiously "I would've thought you'd be eyin' 'er up!"

"'er and me don't get on"

"What? We've never met 'er before!"

"I 'ave, I met 'er earlier, and I was all messed up, so I acted really annoyin'"

Charlie raised his eyebrows

"Ah..."

Dodger examined his hunk of bread moodily

"So we mutually don't like each other now"

Charlie snorted

"Whatever you say Dodge"

Dodger opened his mouth to retort, but Charlie had gone to try and get more food.

He sighed and rested his head on the wall behind him, this girl was going to bring him no end of trouble.

**OK guys, tell me what you think, should I carry on?**

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter**

**Please review**

**But be kind, remember I'm not an Oliver! expert, so if there are any major mistakes tell me, but really tiny ones... i dunno, just no flames please!**

**Oh yeah, the hyperlink on my profile goes to a character guide, so if you wanna know what they look like, go to the hyperlink!**

**I'll update soon, if I get reviews.**

**.xXBlackfishyXx.**


	2. She Settles In

**Hey again, here's chapter 2! Hope you enjoy it!**

Chapter 2 – She settles in

Emmy settled in easily with all the boys, despite the fact that she and Dodger used any excuse to get to the other. Some of the boys, of course, were rather louder than usual when she was around. Some of the pick pockets were uneasy about having a girl around at first, but pretty soon they realised she didn't think that differently from any of them!

Inevitably, her less than friendly situation with Dodger meant that some of the other boys were always 'behind Dodger', and would not back her up if their lives depended on it. Other than this annoying problem however, she was accepted by almost everyone.

This particular morning, the cause of the spat between Emmy and Dodger was Emmy's right boot. Dodger vaulted the sofa and ran into the room where they all slept, Emmy hot on his heels.

The whole house rang with the swearing and insults being rallied to and fro. Upstairs, Nancy rolled her eyes, these arguments and chases had taken place almost every day since Emmy had arrived, eight months ago.

Downstairs, Emmy had hold of Dodger's right arm, his other arm was held high above his head, holding the boot out of Emmy's reach. Emmy jumped up and down, trying to snatch the boot, but was unable to reach, Dodger was a fair bit taller than her.

He ran away around the bed, but Emmy still had hold of his arm and was pulled with him, falling on the way, and whacking her head on the bed. Now with a bleeding tongue (she had bitten it when she fell) she scrambled up, and caught onto him again.

"Give it BACK!" Emmy screeched.

For a moment Dodger forgot what he was doing and clutched his ears as they rang with Emmy's voice. In this moment of weakness, Emmy took advantage of him and tackled him to the floor, breathing heavily

_'Damnit, I really need to ask Nancy for a new dress'_

Sitting on him, she once again, now with a distinct advantage, tried to get the boot. She caught both his arms, and sat on his back. She twisted the boot out of his grip, put it on, and ran out of the room. Within a second, Dodger was back on his feet and running after her...

CRASH

Emmy had stopped in the doorway, because Nancy was talking to her. Dodger ran into her at full pelt, and both he and Emmy fell to the floor in a tangle of limbs. As they tried to untangle themselves Nancy said loudly

"My goodness! Fifteen years old, the both of you, and still squabblin' like piglets!"

Dodger finally managed to stand up, and reluctantly helped Emmy up when Nancy sent him a warning look.

"Emmy, come with me, I'm amazed you can still breathe in that dress, you need a new one, Dodger, Fagin wants you upstairs"

Dodger glared at Emmy as he stalked out of the room.

Nancy and Emmy walked down the road, Emmy attempting to stop her trained eye from checking where people's purses and wallets were...

When they reached the shop, Nancy took a while choosing a size that she thought would fit Emmy. Then she sent Emmy into a small back room, with several petticoats and dresses, to try on. Emmy undressed and pulled on a petticoat. As she laced it up, she realised that it was fitted around the torso and had quite a low neckline. She then grabbed the nearest dress (dark green again) and called Nancy to do it up at the back. Then Nancy steered her over to a mirror in the corner.

Emmy gaped at herself.

She had a figure!

She had a chest, hips and a waist that she had never known about. She looked at her dirty face and limp black curls in need of a brush and decided to ask Nancy to do it when she had decided on a dress.

"The right dress makes a big difference!" Nancy exclaimed, producing black stockings and a new apron for Emmy to put on. They paid for the clothes, then Nancy brushed Emmy's hair and scrubbed her face.

"Very pretty! Next time you need new clothes just _say_!" she said "You mustn't feel you've gotta squeeze yourself into clothes that don't fit!"

"But Nancy, I-I've changed so much... and I didn't even notice..."

Nancy rolled her eyes

"Get a grip Emilia"

Emmy huffed as Nancy chivvied her back into the shop.

Dodger climbed the stairs, wondering why fighting with Emmy was quite so much fun... As he entered the room he noticed Fagin sat at a small table, counting their 'earnings'.

"Jack!" Fagin exclaimed

"Dodger" Dodger replied

"Alright then _Dodger, _'ow are you m'dear?" Fagin didn't wait for an answer but ploughed on "I 'ave been doin' some hinterestin' thinkin'..."

Dodger looked at Fagin with an unimpressed face (one eyebrow raised and eyes looking skeptical) and wondered what one earth had persuaded Fagin to use his brain... he came up with only one answer, money. He found out within a minute that he was correct.

"We've been a little short of cash recently has you will know... so I'm redoin' the pairin's. You and Emmy are my best current earners, but Ace has almost 'ad 'er caught twice now, and the amount of times that Sam's 'ad you in trouble I don't know!"

Dodger raised an eyebrow

"So?"

"I want you and Emmy to work together, that's your new pairing, and I don't want no harguments or nothin'. Just do it... I want you two workin' this afternoon."

Dodger's mouth fell open in shock, fate was cruel indeed

"But... but... we don't get on Fagin, you know that!"

"Well you'll 'ave to, I ain't changin' my mind!"

Guessing (correctly) that that was him dismissed, Dodger slouched back down the stairs. He reached the bottom of the stairs, looked up, and did the biggest double take that he could ever remember doing. His hat fell off his head, and his mouth fell open for the second time in a very few minutes

"Emmy?"

He stared for a minute

"You got new clothes then?

_'She's got a figure you fool, that's all, just like all the other girls you've seen... but this is Emmy we're talkin' about...'_

Emmy was confused. Not only was Dodger staring at her like she'd grown an extra head, but she felt strangely self conscious of anyone looking at her like that.

"Yes, I got new clothes... What did Fagin want?" Emmy asked rather more politely than usual.

Dodger gulped, she would probably murder him.

"We both got a new partner for workin'"

Emmy cocked an eyebrow,

"Well? O've I been lumbered with?"

Dodger tensed his legs, ready to run, and said

"Me" in a very small voice

Emmy mouth did a very good impression of Dodger's as her chin hit the floor

"You?! But Fagin knows..."

Nancy interrupted

"That you two can't go two minutes without bickering?"

"Yeah!" they said at the same time

"Well, I take it that Fagin wants you out this afternoon?"

Dodger nodded

"Well then, I suggest you work out a way to be friends then!" Nancy laughed as she walked out of the house.

"It's your fault" Dodger said in an attempt to break the silence

"MY fault?" Emmy stuttered "YOU should have argued with 'im!"

"ME?"

"YOU!"

Ten minutes later, an observer would have seen Emmy and Dodger, standing about a foot apart, yelling at the tops of their voices in each other's faces.

Eventually Charlie Bates ran through from the bedroom and yelled

"SHUT UP!"

Emmy and Dodger's voices petered out and they turned to look at Charlie

"What?" Dodger asked brusquely

"It's time for you two to go workin'" Charlie said, trying to think of anything to get them out of the house "Fagin says"

"Fine!" Emmy said shortly

"Oh, and will you two PLEASE stop having shouting matches when some of us are tryin' to catch up on lost sleep" came a voice, from the other room, that Dodger suspected belonged to Barnsey.

"GO TO BED ON TIME THEN!" Emmy bellowed back at the door.

Charlie sent them a half smile, before going back into the other room.

"C'mon then" Emmy said grumpily

"Right" Dodger said, by way of a reply, glaring at Emmy.

And together, at least a metre apart, they sulked out of the house.

**HAHAHAHA! **

**Fate is indeed cruel, Dodger is right!  
P**

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**And remember, the hyperlink on my profile goes to a character guide, so if you wanna know what they look like, go to the hyperlink!**

**I hope you enjoyed it my dears!**

**xxxxxxx**


	3. On the Job

**Disclaimer – I do not own any characters in this fic apart from Emmy and Annie, all others belong to Charles Dickens...**

**Woooo, new chapter! Sorry, not much else to say rly... apart from a huge thank you to my reviewer - **Tsukichan-san **who should be given boatloads of cookies for the WONDERFUL review she left!!!**

Chapter 3 – On the job

Emmy and Dodger didn't speak to each other until they reached the main street, when business took over from squabbles...

"Who d'you think?" Dodger asked quietly, a trifle sulkily perhaps, but deciding to forget about the argument for the time being "See anyone worth our attention?"

Emmy managed not to glare at him and looked around

"There, look!"

An elderly gentleman wearing fine clothes was just entering a throng of people around a small shop.

"He'll never know it was us in that crowd"

Together, differences forgotten for the moment, they slipped after the man, tailing behind him for a few minutes. As they went, Dodger and Emmy's hands flashed out occasionally grabbing pocket handkerchiefs from the pockets of other people that they passed. They stuffed these into their pockets. Dodger was concentrating on trying to work out where the elderly gentleman's money was. The man turned suddenly to look at something... and Emmy heard it.

"Right 'and pocket on 'is jacket... look at that though, it's all buttoned up like I don't know what! D'you reckon we could cut the bottom of it without 'im noticin'?"

Dodger thought, it was true that there was no way they could unbutton the pocket without the man noticing, but cutting the bottom...

"Hmmm, it's risky... wait 'til everyone's closer together and crowdin' though..."

As the street got narrower and the crowd jostled closer and closer together, Dodger pulled a slightly rusty, but still useful, knife out of his pocket,

"I don't really like doin' this, it's dangerous and it's stoopin' even lower..."

Emmy cracked a half smile

"What? Even lower than pickin' pockets?"

Dodger grinned back unsurely

"_Was that Emmy being NICE to me?" he thought_

"And anyway," Emmy continued "We ain't never been this skint before..."

Dodger bent low, and squeezed between the legs of the heaving crowd.

He scuttled between the legs and skirts, following the fine trousers of the gentleman. He got right up next to him and transferred his knife to his left hand.

In a quick slashing movement he slit the bottom of the man's pocket and caught the money that fell out of the hole. He then swiped the handkerchief sticking out of the a pocket of another man to his right, and delved back into the crowd.

He returned, trying not to look too pleased with himself, shoving the money and handkerchief in his pocket.

"'E'll notice in a minute, c'mon, let's go..."

But the cry went up before they had even taken two steps.

"WHICH URCHIN HAS SLIT MY POCKET?!"

Dodger gulped and started to run, grabbing Emmy's hand and pulling her after him. They barged through the jostling people, Emmy not able to resist snatching a few more handkerchiefs that were sticking out of pockets they passed.

A whistle went up. Emmy jumped in surprise and clutched Dodger's hand even tighter

"The Runners?! They've got the bobbies out for God's sake Dodger!"

Dodger carried on running, gritting his teeth and ducking as he ducked under a jutting beam. By now the entire crowd had realised they were up to something and were after them.

"Don't worry Emmy, just keep running!"

As they passed a tiny, narrow staircase that went up between two cramped houses, Dodger had an idea. He turned abruptly and dragged Emmy up the stairs. Each stair was so narrow and slippy that running was difficult. When they reached the top they found no alley to run into, only an alcove in one of the walls, about twelve inches deep and twenty inches across. Dodger stepped into this and realised that, when in the alcove, he could not be seen from the bottom of the stairs.

"In 'ere!" he said hoarsely, breathing heavily, and pulling Emmy into the tiny space with him. To fit in the small space, Emmy and Dodger had to stand very close together. Emmy was pressed up against Dodger's chest; she could feel his chest heaving as he regained breath after their narrow escape, and his heart beating wildly under his shirt and waistcoat.

After less than half a minute they heard the crowd rumble past the bottom of their hiding place. The shouts and whistles grew louder and louder as the crowd passed, and then died slowly away.

Emmy let out a long breath, that she didn't know she had been holding, and let her head flop onto Dodger's chest.

"Oh god" she said quietly, still breathing hard.

"I've never been that close before," Dodger said "Maybe I should think of a new name... The Close Shaver"

Emmy chuckled

"Don't really 'ave the same ring to it"

Dodger squeezed out of the alcove and looked at the bulging pockets on Emmy's apron, where all the handkerchiefs and money that she had stolen now resided.

"'ow many did you get? I've got three wipes and..." he counted the money in his free hand (the other hand was still holding Emmy's tightly) "five 'alf crowns and seven shillin's! Who carries that kind of money?!"

Emmy thought hard, trying to remember how many she had stolen

"I think I've got about eight"

Dodger nodded and turned to walk back down the tiny stairs. It was at this point that he realised he was holding Emmy's hand, even though they had long since stopped running. There was a long embarrassed silence, and he let go abruptly.

"Erm, yeah... c'mon then, let's go 'ome"

Now that they were going back, Emmy wondered whether Dodger was going to start arguing again... But no such thought seemed to have even crossed his mind. For as they walked back, he launched into chatter, not a hint of the cold, annoying Dodger that she had known for so long.

When they arrived back at the house, they were both laughing like lunatics about a stupid story that Dodger had told on the way back.

As they staggered through the door they collapsed onto the sofa, gasping for breath and wiping tears of laughter from their eyes. Charlie and Ace wandered over from a corner, playing cards in hands, and pipes in mouths.

"Are you two drunk?" Ace asked incredulously

"N-no!" Emmy managed to blurt out, before dissolving into laughter again.

"What the 'ell's goin' on?" Charlie asked in astonishment

Dodger managed to draw breath long enough to say

"Remember the p-postbox thing?"

Charlie groaned

"Oh Gawd, you don't STILL find that funny?"

But he could get no more sense out of either of Emmy or Dodger.

As he and Ace walked back to their card game, Ace said

"Those two want to watch what they're puttin' in their pipes!"

Charlie snorted.

When Nancy came home a few minutes later, Emmy and Dodger were just calming down.

"What 'appened to you two 'atin' each other?" she demanded, hands on hips.

Emmy and Dodger looked at each other, both suddenly realising just how angry they had been that morning.

"I dunno!" Dodger said, looking at Emmy, as if wondering if she would also agree to end the pointless fued between the two of them,

_'It would certainly mean much less effort... getting' on with 'er is easy... and it's.. nice i s'pose... I'd like bein' 'er friend'_

Emmy grinned at him, and they got up and went upstairs to deliver their spoils to Fagin.

**Hope you liked it!**

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**Blackfishy**

**xxxxx**

**xxxxx**

**xxxxx**


	4. A Big Job

**Disclaimer: I don't own Oliver Twist or any characters blah blah blah...**

**Hello hello!!!!  
**

**Firstly i would like to thank all the people who reviewed (not individually coz i will get sidetracked, and Im trying to write the next chapter!) **

**You guys have been great (especially for putting up with my appalling update rate!!)**

**So, without any further ado, Chapter Four!**

Chapter 4 – A Big Job

Over the years that followed, Dodger and Emmy grew closer as they learnt more about the other's personality. They now never went out on business with anyone except each other, and they were closer than any of the others. Of course, there were arguments, but nothing as big as the old spats between Emmy and the delightful Master Dawkins. Because of all this however, the other boys were suspicious, especially seeing as girls were suddenly MUCH more interesting than they had ever been before, as the other boys entered their teens...

"I'd swear Dodger's keen on Emmy y'know" Charlie said thoughtfully to Ace and Barnsey.

"I dunno..." Ace said, not willing to start anything, particularly against Dodger, the ringleader of them all.

Barnsey just snorted and went back to his feeble attempt at a card castle.

"I wouldn't say anythin' like that to Dodger" Ace said "'e might just eat you in 'is anger, you know 'ow short o' food we are at the moment! And 'e's in a mood alright, you saw 'ow drunk 'e was last night, quite an 'angover!"

Charlie grinned

"True, maybe I'll keep my mouth shut!"

They all laughed as Dodger entered the room.

"What?" he asked, as they all laughed harder, "Is there ANY food in this 'ouse?" he asked, changing the subject as his stomach rumbled.

"Uh oh Charlie, start runnin'!" Ace gasped in between guffaws.

Dodger, realising that this seemed to be some joke at his expense, scowled and went to find Emmy.

-------------------------------------------------

When he spotted her, she was looking rather bored. She was sitting on the edge of a low brick wall, just down the road from the pickpockets' house. She picked at a tear in the sleeve of her dress (now dark red, she had grown out of the old one) He watched her examine a hole in her black stockings, and shake her long fringe out of her eyes, black curls flying everywhere. He noticed that she was hugging a tartan rug, with many holes in it, around her slender frame. The old woollen beret/hat still on the back of her head, somehow he had never seen that thing fall off, no matter how fast she ran!! All the pickpockets were going through hard times, and she, like the rest of them, looked more pinched and scrawny than usual.

Dodger shook his head, as if he was trying to get water out of his ears, there was something hypnotising about her, but he couldn't figure out what it was.

Emmy noticed him at last, jumped off the wall, and ran over, bending to do up the laces on her battered boots. Dodger waited until she had stood up, then said

"You got any money left?"

"Yes, a couple o' shillin's, why?"

"Want to go to Parker's?"

Emmy grinned at his referral to the pie shop.

"OK, I'm starvin'..."

They started walking, then she started talking again,

"Why are thin's so bad at the moment? Are the other boys bein' fed at all?"

Dodger sent her a half smile that contained no happiness,

"Yeah, they're usin' their own money when Fagin doesn' buy anythin', and they're nickin' food as well! We'll just have to grin an' bear it I think..."

Emmy sighed. They had all grown even thinner over the last few months, since business was so awful. Now that they had got through the winter, they were all trying to be positive, but the lack of food (caused by lack of money) had taken a toll on all of them, especially since this April was turning out to be the coldest Dodger had ever known, hence Emmy's rug.

Feeling sorry for her, Dodger gently and awkwardly hugged her,

"C'mon, let's go an' get food" he said brightly

Emmy smiled at him. Dodger felt slightly dizzy

'_Must be lack o' food..._' but he just about managed to swagger down the street as usual.

When they reached the tiny shop on the corner, Dodger's stomach rumbled. Once Emmy had finished laughing at him, they entered the steam filled pie shop.

Old Jim Parker, who owned the shop, recognised them from their many previous visits.

"Well if it isn't Master Jack Dawkins and the lovely Miss Emmy King! I 'ope thin's are gettin' better for you lot!" he greeted them jovially, placing his big hands on the counter.

Dodger nodded half heartedly.

"Hmmm, not gettin' any better for you poor souls eh?" Jim asked sympathetically.

Dodger knew that his sympathy was genuine, Jim had been an urchin just like Dodger until one of his relatives had died and left him the shop. Old Jim Parker knew exactly what it was like.

"Nah," Dodger grunted "Two of your cheapest Jim."

As they left the shop and started to walk back, feeling much better after the pie, Dodger wondered how long they could go on like this. He knew that even Fagin was running out of money making ideas while the pick pocketing was so bad, especially seeing as Emmy was still refusing point blank (quite rightly in Dodger's opinion) to be a prostitute.

When they entered the house, they felt many eyes trained on them.

"What?" Emmy asked, feeling uneasy.

Charlie answered

"Fagin wants to see you two upstairs, he didn't look happy..."

Dodger strode towards the door that led upstairs, Emmy right behind him.

When they reached the small upstairs room they found Fagin looking very grim.

"I 'ave a job for you two"

Emmy and Dodger looked at each other, alarmed.

"Go on Fagin" Dodger said tensely

"I need you to do... a break in" Fagin said slowly

Emmy paled

"What?!"

Fagin's composure broke

"Look, it's this or you start sellin' yourself my _dear..._"

"NO" Dodger shouted

Ignoring him Emmy said

"At least, sellin' myself wouldn't put..." she glanced at Dodger "... anyone else in danger" she trailed off.

"NO!" Dodger shouted again, to appalled to think of anything else to say, "You can't start bein' a prosititute!"

Emmy looked at him, eyebrows raised "I don't want to"

"Well you SHOULDN'T, 'cause I don't mind puttin' myself in danger if it means... if it means... you don't have to..."

Emmy looked as if she wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry

"Which house?" she blurted out

Fagin tried not to look too pleased that they had agreed

"13 Forresters Street, there's an alley along the back for you to get in.."

Dodger scowled and burst out angrily

"How long have you been plannin' thi-"

Emmy took his hand and squeezed it to get him to shut up and let Fagin finish

"... it's getting' dark m'dears, you'd better be off" Fagin said, rubbing his hands together and glancing nervously and moving skittishly away from the still fuming Master Dawkins. At sixteen Dodger was about an inch smaller than Fagin but a lot stronger...

"Aren't you goin' to give us any idea of what we're nickin'?" Emmy asked sounding alarmed.

Fagin smiled an 'apologetic' smile "No idea m'dears, just take what you can, I'm sure you're better than me by now... Oh and take this, it'll help"

He threw them an iron bar that was bent and flattened at one end.

The duo descended the stairs with the air of those being sent to the gallows... although maybe that was a little _too_ close to the truth...

"What did 'e want?" Charlie called as they walked back through the main room and out onto the street.

Dodger ignored him.

**Oooooooooooooh**

**What will happen?**

**Please review, and sorry once again for my terrible lack of updates...**

"_**And when we're in the distance, you'll hear this wistful tune, So long fare thee well, pip pip cheerio, we'll be back soon..."**_

**Blackfishy**

**xxxxx**


	5. The Risks You Take

**Disclaimer: I am not Charles Dickens, I am Charlotte ( I do not own Oliver Twist!**

**ArtfulDodgersGirl - You are a great reviewer (and also a very good writer ( ) Thanks so much for your reviews, they really motivate me to update!!!  
**

**And on we go – To Chapter 5!!!!**

Chapter 5 – The Risks You Take

The duo walked down the dark street, not talking.

Emmy was carrying the makeshift 'crowbar', which they were to use to break in, under her tartan rug. Dodger had a leather bag slung over his shoulder,

"Why didn't 'e ask Charlie to come too?" Emmy asked Dodger, a slight tremor in her voice.

Dodger didn't answer, he merely shrugged. In truth, he feared that if he did open his mouth then he would vomit from pure fear...

Emmy continued, more worked up

"And the stupid old fool don't even feel the need to give us any tips do 'e? No! We're just expected to GUESS" she beat her fist on the nearest wall, black fingerless gloves gaining a new hole when the wool caught on a nail in the wall.

Dodger started at her outburst and hissed

"Keep it down! We're meant to be hinconspicuous, remember?"

Emmy shuddered, the knuckles on her hand turning white as she clenched tight on the crowbar. Then she abruptly stopped, looking straight ahead.

They had reached the alleyway that was their entrance to 13 Forresters Street.

Dodger glanced at Emmy, whose sapphire blue eyes had lost all sparkle, and now looked downcast and dull in her pale thin face.

"C'mon" he said, wondering why the sight of her so sad made his stomach lurch.

Together they stepped into the alley.

They walked for a good ten minutes before they spotted the red brick back of their target. The house was large and imposing, and had an air of authority that caught the throats of the two youngsters.

Emmy took a deep breath as they slunk closer to the house. Closer and closer... until they were right underneath a window that looked into a living room. Dodger took the crowbar and eased it into the gap at the bottom of the window. The catch broke easily, and to their surprise, the window opened silently.

They climbed through the window, shutting it so as to leave no trace of their entry...

They crept as silently as their booted feet would allow, through the silent house and up the sweeping stairs. When they reached the large landing, they were faced with a large cabinet. Despite his fear, Dodger's eyes gleamed. Through the cabinet's glass doors, they could see what were evidently the more prized possessions of this man. A sliver snuffbox, several large silver spoons, a thick (and rather gaudy in Emmy's opinion) silver chain with a large jewel dripping from its centre, and a gold watch.

Emmy opened the cabinet, slipping her small hand inside. Once they had deprived the cabinet of its treasures, they crept into a dark study. Groping around on the desk and tables, they found a wallet and a cheque book. Throwing the cheque book aside, they were about to continue their search when they heard the telltale creaking of floorboards...

"Someone's up!" Emmy gasped, her eyes widening with horror.

Without pausing to think, Dodger let adrenaline take over. He grabbed Emmy, and pulled her across the room, wrenching open the nearest cupboard and squeezing into it.

Through a tiny gap in the door they saw a maid enter the room and pick up a jacket of some sort.

Then, obviously not having noticed that anything was missing due to the darkness of the house, they saw her exit the room. They heard her footsteps fade away up the stairs...

And then once again, the house was silent.

oOoOoOo

Shaken by the near miss, Dodger and Emmy crept back down the stairs and into the living room. They couldn't get out of the window fast enough to satisfy their own fear. When they were in the alley again they ran as fast as their legs could carry them. Every snapped twig sounded like footsteps running after them, every tiny noise sounding like danger to their ears.

However, the further they got away from their crime, the safer they felt.

As they hurtled out of the entrance to the alleyway, they stopped.

Dodger bent over to try and regain his breath, his hands on his knees.

Emmy leant against the nearest wall, her hand on her heart, which was beating so fast that she felt that her whole body was shaking from its force.

After a few minutes they started to walk again, but as the fear began to wear off, and their success began to kick in, they spoke as they walked.

"That was so scary... but... it was so... I dunno, exciting!!!" Emmy said breathlessly.

Dodger grinned, feeling more pleased with himself every minute that passed,

"I know what you mean... but I'm so glad to be out of there... Mind you, this could be the first time in months that we haven't had to knock out the landlord...!"

Emmy laughed, relaxing more and more the further they got from the scene of their crime.

"How long is it since we've paid the rent?"

Dodger shrugged, chortling, now that they were out of danger he was feeling quite light headed.

oOoOoOo

The street was very dark, as it was now quarter to twelve. Everyone seemed to be in bed. A small dark bat flitted across the dark blue night sky. Enormous dark clouds sailed across the sky like icy ocean liners... Everything was peaceful, even the dark cramped houses to their left and right...

Then they passed the Whipping Stocks Inn...

Dodger peered through the dirty windows of the smoky, raucous pub, and did a double take.

"Fagin's in there!" he exclaimed "And Charlie and Nancy... And Barnsey! And Ace! C'mon!"

They sauntered inside, Dodger feeling merrier as soon as they crossed the old, battered threshold.

As soon as Fagin saw them, he leapt out of his seat and strode over to the two grinning pickpockets.

"M'dears! You are back quickly!"

Emmy and Dodger looked at each other, waiting for him to give up the 'relieved for their safety' act (as against the 'relieved for the safety of the loot' act)

Fagin looked from Emmy's mildly innocent face to Dodger's face, cast into shadow by the brim of his top hat. He rubbed his hands together, evidently hoping that one of the duo would say something, eventually he cracked

"What do you 'ave then?!"

Dodger cracked a half smile, and handed him the bag. Emmy noticed that Dodger had the wallet in his breast pocket... Fagin either didn't notice or didn't mind, and the old thief smiled as he took the bag from Dodger and Dodger said,

"Our pockets'll 'old a watch of gold..."

"That chimes upon the hour..." Fagin replied, grinning, as the gold watch struck midnight...

Emmy looked upon this cryptic exchange with a baffled expression, but decided not to ask any questions.

Dodger, grabbing Emmy's hand and pulling her along, swaggered over to the other side of the bar, where the other boys. He ordered drinks and then sat down, Emmy next to him.

Charlie and Barnsey were obviously already drunk, slurring their words and falling about laughing at the slightest thing. Dodger ignored their immature behaviour

"Lightweights" he muttered to Emmy, who laughed at his remark...

A few hours, and many drinks later, Emmy and Dodger were feeling more than a little drunk themselves...

"Wonder when the rich old codsher'll notice?" Dodger slurred, slumping against the wall.

Emmy just giggled, hiccuping as she did so, losing her balance, and leaning against the wall next to him.

Dodger felt slightly queasy, and he and Emmy staggered outside, hanging onto anything close enough for support.

Taking a deep breath of the London air, Dodger attempted to stand up straight, but failed miserably.

He fell, grabbing as he did so, successfully taking Emmy down with him.

"Ooopsh" was all he had to say, grinning lopsidedly at Emmy.

"W-Watch out Dodge!" Emmy giggled into his shirt from where she had landed on top of him.

Nancy, having seen this whole charade with a knowing eye, went outside to help the drunken pair to their feet.

"Go home" she said firmly. They mumbled at her, but turned and swayed towards home.

When they reached the house, they leant against the wall outside, Dodger holding Emmy up. He looked blearily into her shining blue eyes. He felt a sudden desire to kiss her. Their noses bumped clumsily together, and they were about to try again when a shout from a nearby house caused them to stop in surprise. The moment, drunken though it had been, had been ruined. Dodger felt a slight disappointment in the pit of his stomach, and decided that he definitely wanted to kiss her, but she had turned to open the door.

They staggered into the house and into the bedroom. Dodger had just managed to manoeuvre his arms around Emmy's waist and hold her to him when they both lost their balance, and fell onto the bed, Emmy giggling in Dodger's arms.

**Well! Aren't I being efficient!? Another update**

**You know what to do!**

**Review, and I'll update!  
Love you all**

**Pip pip**

**Blackfishy**

**xxxxx**


	6. Morning Surprises and Terrible Hangovers

**Disclaimer – I do not own Oliver Twist. If I did i would have a beard, and be dead. God rest Charles Dicken' soul. **

**ArfulDodgersGirl – I love you. (: You always review. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Your story is FAB lol.**

**And without further ado... Let me proudly present... CHAPTER 6**

Chapter 6 – Morning Surprises and Terrible Hangovers

As usual the shout was yelled by Sam, one of the younger boys, for everyone to get up.

Startled awake, despite his late night the night before, Dodger opened his eyes and almost jumped out of his skin. There, looking right at him, just opening her blue eyes, was Emmy, her nose just touching his.

There was a split second where Dodger tried to decide whether to kiss her or yell, but they both, not remembering anything after they had reached the Whipping Stocks the previous night, leapt away from each other.

Of course they both quickly regretted the movement.

"Aw!!" Dodger grabbed his head with his hands as a thousand drums started beating on the inside of it.

Emmy simply turned white and let herself fall back onto the bed, Dodger following suit.

They both slept for most of the morning, until Fagin came in around lunchtime.

"WAKE UP!" he barked, startling them both awake. He then adopted a more kindly air.

"Excellent work last night m'dears, good money you got"

"Good" groaned Dodger, letting his head fall back onto the pillow "Emmy," he mumbled, turning his head and burying his face in her hair "Make 'im go away"

Emmy muttered,

"Gerroff my 'air Dodge, you're pullin' it"

Dodger rolled back the other way, but slightly over estimated how much bed was left.

He fell to the floor with a thump, and a curse. Unfortunately Emmy was tangled up in the bedclothes, so when Dodger fell off, taking the blanket with him, she fell too. She, Dodger and the blankets were now in a pile on the rough floorboards.

Dodger's muffled voice came from the bottom of the heap,

"We're up Fagin"

oOoOoOo

A now 'spruced up' Dodger and Emmy were sat on the couch, drinking water and eating stale bread. They didn't say much, partly because they still had enormous headaches, and partly because they were trying to ignore a bunch of the younger pickpockets.

"You two were drunk last night" a small boy with fluffy ginger curls informed them.

Dodger let his hat fall over his eyes,

"'ow do you know?"

The younger lads looked at each other excitedly,

"We saw you!"

Dodger's eyebrows knitted together, although no-one could tell, thanks to the fact that his hat was still over his eyes, resting on his nose.

"What were you titches doin' up at three in the mornin'?" he grumbled

"We waited to make sure you ain't got caught"

Dodger made a grunting noise that was taken by all concerned as an "oh"

"You were fallin' around and laughin' a lot" the small boy continued "Not very dig-ni-fied" he struggled with the long word.

"You don't even know what it's like bein' drunk" Dodger groaned from under his hat, feeling rather superior despite his hangover and irritated mind.

The younger boys smirked at each other.

"Course we do! 'ow proper of you, did you never get drunk before you turned ten?" the ginger boy asked smugly. Dodger wondered whether all the other boys were mute, or whether this boy was an agreed spokesperson. He groaned again. He knew that the younger boys were deliberately antagonising him, making the most of being able to annoy THE Artful Dodger, while he was down and couldn't even be bothered moving, let alone beating them up!

After another minute, the younger boys had gone.

"That ginger kid knows far too much, right cocky little weasel" Dodger complained.

Emmy smirked lazily, raising a hand and batting his hat off his head.

"I bet you were just like 'im Dodge"

Dodger raised a hand and caught hers, which was still resting on the back of the sofa, and moving it from where she was pulling his hair,

"You're probably right" he agreed, sighing

At this point, Ace, Charlie, and Barnsey swaggered in. Spotting that Dodger was still holding Emmy's hand, they decided that now was as good a time as any to annoy him.

"You two are lookin' rather cosy down there" Charlie said, raising his eyebrows.

"Bugger orf" Dodger said, letting go of Emmy's hand, but not bothering to move completely away from her.

"Rather like this mornin'..." Charlie continued, his eyes sparkling with mischief "Do you two actually remember the position you woke up in?"

Having totally forgotten about that, but now remembering VERY clearly, Emmy and Dodger leapt as far away from each other as possibly (their movement accompanied by a burst of pain in their heads) Turning beetroot red, and sitting at opposite ends of the sofa, they refused to look at each other.

Dodger muttered,

"What is it? 'Annoy the Artful' day?"

Emmy grumbled back, as Charlie, Ace and Barnsey watched amusedly

"'ey, I 'aven't been annoyin' you!"

"Yeah you 'ave" Dodger retorted "You said I was like that ginger kid before"

"You agreed!" Emmy spluttered indignantly

"Only 'cause I couldn' be bothered retaliatin'!"

Barnsey, Ace, Charlie and the other boys smelt trouble, and started to move away from the argument, which was slowly growing in volume.

"Oh Gawd" Ace sighed "I thought they'd stopped all this"

"They did! Ages ago, they 'aven't fought proper ONCE since they started workin' together!" Barnsey replied

They stopped talking, and watched, as banging headaches fuelled fiery tempers...

Emmy was now on the feet, waving her arms furiously,

"Yeah? Well maybe you should THINK!" she stormed, before grabbing Dodger's hat and flouncing out of the room, while Dodger lay, lazily retorting, on the couch.

Charlie raised an eyebrow again (it was one of his many talents) and followed Emmy into the bedroom.

OooOoOo

"That was pretty impressive for a gel badly 'ung over!" he chortled.

Emmy was lying face down on the bed, Dodger's hat next to her,

"Shut it Charlie"

At this point, Dodger slouched into the room, hair tousled and a scowl marring his features,

"Give me the 'at"

"Nah..." Emmy drawled, rolling off the bed onto her feet, and clutching the offending hat to her chest.

Dodger lunged at her, knocking her back onto the bed with himself on top of her. He stared her in the eye. Emmy just lay there looking back at him, as his hot breath mingled with hers... then Charlie wolf whistled, jerking her back to reality. Catching Dodger by surprise, she rolled quickly, so that he was underneath her, then she stood up and ran as fast as possible across the bedroom, and into the other room, still holding the hat...

As Dodger hared after her, Barnsey walked over to Charlie and said

"Ain't it funny 'ow fast 'eadaches disappear when there's fightin' to be done?!"

"You call it fightin'... I call it flirtin'!" Charlie added, Barnsey grimaced.

**OK, slightly random chapter, but hey!**

**Please review (i love you and will feed you cookies)**

**love,**

**blackfishyxxx**


	7. Making It Worse

**Disclaimer – I am not Charles Dickens (bet that surprised you) and therefore do not own Oliver Twist, or Oliver!**

**Elizabeth's Secrets – i like your new screen name:) thank you for your endless reviews that contain encouragement and niceness of the highest degree :P**

**Panda Blue – Thank you so much for your review :) i love writing the way they talk, it's so much fun!!!! . hope you enjoy this new chapter**

**And so, without further ado or waffling, which i actually seem to be doing now... anyway, onto Chapter 7!**

Chapter 7 – Making it worse

One morning, several days later, Emmy woke up very early. Figuring that no-one else would be awake, she didn't bother putting her dress on over he petticoat yet. Feeling hungry, she slipped out of bed, the wooden floor pricking her bare and rather grubby feet. She walked through to the main room, and was halfway to the larder when she heard someone come in.

Whirling around, thinking it to be a stranger, she was _almost _relieved when she saw that it was merely Dodger.

"Er, Emmy..." he trailed off, as Emmy remembered what she was wearing, or, more appropriately, what she wasn't wearing...

Her petticoat was rather lower at the front than her dress, and the petticoat was far more fitted around her torso, and slightly shorted than her dress too...

Try as he very valiantly might, Dodger couldn't help looking... but as a result he went almost as red as Emmy herself.

"I'm s-" they both tried to speak at the same time, and just looked away from each other.

Dodger was going through a dilemma in his head,

_'Cor blimey... I've never seen Emmy like that before... she's – NO! Apologise for the other day you dirty minded pillock!'_

In truth, Dodger wasn't sure that he wanted to be as close to Emmy as he had used to be. When they were closer, his feelings got worse. And in truth, never having been truly loved by anyone, he was slightly afraid of love's power over him...

"I'm... I'm sorry Emmy" he mumbled

Emmy stared at her feet

_'I really need to clean my feet...'_

"I'm sorry too Dodge"

They stood in silence for a moment, Dodger still determinedly avoiding looking at Emmy, afraid that she would blow up at him if she caught him looking at her in her current state of dress.

"Look at me!" Emmy eventually burst out "am I really that disgusting to you? That you can't bear to look at me?"

Dodger's head snapped back to look at Emmy, the colour rising in his face,

"No you're not! I just-"

"Don't look there!!"

"Sorry..."

There was another awkward silence while Dodger attempted to look straight at Emmy's face.

She blinked at him with clear eyes, deep and smiling. Her mouth curled into a half smile and wrapped her arms around Dodger's neck. His heart beat faster and faster...

"Why do we always fight Dodge?" she whispered into his neck, sending shivers down his spine. Dodger couldn't stand any more, and pulled away, taking a deep breath.

"Don't DO that... you're, you're makin' it worse!"

He walked briskly away from her, and out of the house.

Emmy stood and watched him go, completely confused.

"What?" she whispered, "What's wrong now?" she dropped her hands to her sides "Why is everythin' so complicated?" she let out a deep rough breath "Why is 'E so complicated, that's the question..."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Dodger walked slowly down the street.

"Gawd Emmy..." he muttered "torturer you are, a bloody torturer..."

He swiped an apple from a nearby stall and bit into it angrily.

"'ow can I feel like this? When she don't even KNOW, don't even NOTICE... What am I feelin'?"

Dodger clenched his fist, his short nails cutting into the apple, the sticky juice joining the other grime and dirt on his hands.

"Gawd," he sighed again "Growin' up ain't 'alf a chore..."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Later that day, Dodger still wasn't back.

By three o'clock in the afternoon, the boys and Emmy were getting worried.

Emmy tugged on a thread poking out of the sleeve of her dress, still unable to figure out Dodger's weird exclamation.

_'You're makin' it worse...'_

_"_What was 'e talkin' about?" she mused "And where's 'e got to anyway?"

"You reckon the traps got 'im?" Charlie asked worriedly.

"Nah, course they ain't caught 'im, 'e ain't called the Artful Dodger for nothin' you know!" Barnsey reassured him, although he seemed to be trying to reassure himself at the same time.

"Emmy... I know you and the Artful 'ad fallen out again... but you've been as silent as the grave all day... d'you know where 'e's gone orf?" Ace ventured warily.

Emmy sighed, shrugging her shoulders,

"No, that's just IT. We apologised to each other, and 'e looked really sad 'bout somethin', so I gave 'im a hug - STOP YOUR SMIRKIN' MASTER BATES - an' 'e said somethin' really odd and walked orf!"

The boys looked at each other, Charlie now keeping his face under strict control, and pulled confused faces.

"I can't see nothin' to make 'im upset there" Barnsey said, looking almost comically baffled.

"Me neither" Emmy sighed.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

As Dodger wandered back down the street, his pockets full of money, handkerchiefs, watches and even a ring. Despite all this he felt no better, even his loot after a whole day on the streets could not distract his mind from frantically running through what to do.

'_I'll just go back, act normal. be myself' _he grimaced at that thought '_My plans ain't 'xactly up to scratch lately... Bugger am I losin' it at the moment...'_

He sauntered along, determined not to let some girl change the Artful Dodger...

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

By 7 o'clock that night, everyone was worried.

"'E's been gone more'n twelve hours..." Emmy muttered, her eyes bright with concern

Fagin was stood up on the small balcony outside the upstairs room, looking out for the pickpocket who (although he would never admit it) had become more of a son to him than anything else.

The boys and Emmy were all pacing and sitting around the main room downstairs.

"The traps must 'ave got 'im" mumbled a younger boy, one of the ones who had been annoying Emmy and Dodger only a few days before.

"NO!" Emmy said sharply, making them all jump "Course the traps ain't got 'im, the traps'll never catch 'im..."

The boys exchanged glances, knowing that Emmy knew as well as they did that whatever was keeping Dodger away was not likely to be good.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Dodger sat in the Whipping Stocks Inn. He had reverted to an old tactic, when confused/upset/depressed the best thing he found was to try and forget about it... and the easiest way for him to forget about it? Well, to get as drunk as possible. Not the most intelligent of ideas, and certainly not something that would directly help the situation, Dodger weighed up the sides, and decided that a few hours of blissful ignorance to the situation was worth the headache the next day...

A few hours later, the bartender threw Dodger (none too kindly) out.

"You don't need no more halcohol you urchin, go 'ome!"

Dodger walked unsteadily down the dark alley, squinting, trying to focus. It was rather difficult to find your way when there were three or four of everything.

He eventually reached the house, and spent a good five minutes trying to decide which of the three doorknobs that he could see was real. A difficult task when they would keep moving...

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

It was 10 o'clock at night.

Everyone had given up talking and just sat there. Waiting.

Emmy twisted her hands in her lap.

'_Where are you, you daft boy...?' _she thought desperately

She heard Fagin pacing in the room upstairs. The creaking of the floorboards got louder, quieter, louder, quieter, as he walked from one end of the room to the other.

Then, all of a sudden, the doorknob turned, and the door swung open.

Dodger was leaning on the doorframe, a half smile gracing his face, and his hat slightly to one side.

Emmy was on her feet as quick as a flash, and pelted across the room. She threw her arms around his neck, holding him close.

"Dodge," she muttered "You've 'ad us worried"

The other boys, grinning like idiots at his safe return, smirked at each other.

Dodger wrapped his arms around Emmy, trying to form a sentence in his whirling head. Having failed, he decided to instead try and stand up without support. This attempt failed miserably, and both he and Emmy crashed to the floor.

Emmy laughed as she relaxed, lying on top of Dodger, who let his head flop back onto the floor, grinning lopsidedly at her.

"So!" she exclaimed between giggles of relief and amusement "While we were worried sick, you were orf drinkin'?"

Dodger just carried on grinning and mumbled something indistinct.

Emmy raised an eyebrow as the boys laughed.

"C'mon, you're goin' to bed" she heaved him up off the floorboards and led him through to the bedroom.

"With you?"

"What?" Emmy laughed, "No!"

Dodger hiccuped pathetically and said sadly

"No-one lovesh me E-hic-mmy"

Emmy's face switched to concern

"What?"

"I ain't got no muvverm no -hic- farver... nowt"

He sounded, Emmy thought, like a little boy, not a young man of 16. She felt sorry for him, he sounded like this emotion had been bottled up for years and years. She sat down on the bed and turned his head to look at her. She stroked his cheek gently with her forefinger, her hand resting there.

"We all love you, Fagin loves you like a son Dodge"

"No you don't -hic- You alwaysh fight with me... -hic-" Dodger looked at her with sorrowful eyes.

"You know I don't mean it Dodge, I don't mean it"

"I han-hic-noy you don't I?"

"No Dodge, you don't... well, sometimes, when you're bein' stupid"

"I -hic- am shtupid?"

Emmy tried not to smile at his innocent, mournful expression.

"I know people who're stupider"

Dodger just stared at her face, his ale tinted breath reaching her nose.

"Your breath smells Dodge"

"Shee... you don't love me"

Emmy leant her head closer to his, forcing him to look her in the eye.

"D'you think I would 'ave been so worried if I didn't love you?"

She kissed him on the cheek, lingering there for a few seconds, then leaving him to ponder on what she'd said.

Dodger tried to figure out the conversation, but his alcohol riddled brain finally gave up, and he flopped backwards, flat out.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Smiling, but more than a little confused about her OWN feelings, Emmy headed upstairs to let Fagin know that Dodger was home, safe and sound.

**Well, that was 1,801 words (im proud)**

**I hope you enjoyed it, and Im terribly sorry about how long I took to update.**

**I should update soon, provided I get encouragement... raises eyebrows**

**You can hear the little review button... its calling to you in a little squeaky voice "Press meee"**

**You know you want to**

**thanks for reading**

**Blackfishy **

**xxx**


	8. The Boys Step In

**Disclaimer - I do not own Oliver Twist/Oliver!**

**Right, here goes:  
(clears throat)**

**I am so sorry that I have taken so horribly long to update. I have been incredibly busy with a million and one different things. You all hereby have permission to disembowel me/deprive me of food/poke me/generally punish me in some way.**

**OK**

**Grovelling over.**

**Sir-Not-Appearing-In-This-Show -- hahaha you make me laugh! thanks for the great review and encouragement! **

**Protego Totalum -- Awww i know the fluff is unbearable (it continues, along with its partner in crime - 'cheesiness' - in this chapter) glad you liked it, hope you like this chapter!**

**Panda Blue -- hahah yep, awkwardness reigns!!! poor old dodge. Hahahah thanks for the fab review, i really appreciate it!**

**Lucky Charms19 -- Here you go chuck, an update!! xxx**

**And ON WITH THE SHOW**

**Here is chapter 8!**

Chapter 8 - The Boys Step In

The next day, Charlie, Barnsey and Ace were talking.

"What d'you reckon 'bout Emmy and Dodger an' Dodger then?" Charlie asked the other two

"Oh gawd" Barnsey drawled "Not this again Charlie!"

Ace however agreed with Charlie,

"It's true though Barnsey... You should've 'eard the talk they 'ad - y'know, last night when 'e came 'ome late"

Barnsey raised his eyebrows,

"Whatever you say"

"They are daft though ain't they?!" Charlie continued thoughtfully "Dodger almost told 'er, but 'e was piss drunk so I s'pose 'e didn't mean to..."

"Reckon we should give 'em a push in the right direction?" Ace smirked

Barnsey threw his hands in the air and said despairingly

"You two! You're like a pair of old women!"

Ace and Charlie ignored this statement.

"You mean, literally, a _push _in the right direction?" Charlie said conspiratorially

"Well, **I** think-" Ace began

"Oh yeah, 'cause you're a hexpert" Barnsey interrupted

Ace smirked at him

"Wouldn't you like to know...!"

"Urgh! Ace, don't go puttin' ideas like that into my 'ead!" Barnsey said, disgusted

Charlie joined in, backing Ace up

"Aye! Our Ace is a right hexpert with the gels, ain't you Ace?"

Ace nodded, smirking at Barnsey who looked as if he wasn't sure whether to believe them or not.

"Anyway" Ace picked up the conversation where he had been interrupted "I think that if they - Emmy an' Dodger I mean - were close enough, and alone together, they'd work it out..."

Charlie nodded in agreement,

"They'd 'ave to be gettin' on at the time though" he said thoughtfully "They'd just start harguin' if they were in the middle of a fight!"

Barnsey finally lost it, and burst out

"Why do you two even WANT those two together? They'd be all over each other every livin' moment!"

Ace and Charlie looked at each, both thinking the same thing.

"Barnsey... do _you_ like Emmy too?" Ace asked tentatively , bracing himself to duck if Barnsey swung at him. But, to their surprise, Barnsey didn't do anything. He just looked at his boots and nodded slowly.

Charlie and Ace, now feeling rather bad, didn't say anything, but shuffled uncomfortably in their seats.

"You've got no idea 'ow hannoyin' it is seeing them together and flirtin' and knowin' that one day they'll work it out... These feelin's just came, I 'aven't felt this way for long..."

Charlie and Ace now felt truly awful for harping on about Emmy and Dodger, and weren't entirely sure what to say.

"Sorry Barnsey, we didn't realise you were keen on 'er"

Barnsey shrugged

"S'alright, I only realised the other day when I saw Emmy and Dodger sittin' on the sofa, 'oldin' 'ands..."

Charlie nodded

"Oh, the day they were all 'ung over and 'ad the awful hargument?"

"That's th'one" Barnsey nodded

Ace sighed heavily

"You'll get over 'er Barnsey, I reckon we've all liked 'er at one time or hanother, but we've also all 'ad to face facts - she was Dodger's gel, right from the beginnin'"

"You liked 'er too Ace?" Barnsey looked surprised

"Course I did, she's a nice lookin' little thing i'n't she?! And she was always there, y'know, for me to see an' think about! But I got over 'er sharpish, and you will too, don't worry! You'll meet the right gel for y-"

Ace stopped abruptly as they heard the door to the bedroom open.

A moment later, Dodger walked through the door.

Barnsey hurriedly stood up, muttered a quick excuse, and exited the room.

Dodger, feeling more than a little delicate from the night before, slouched across the room, and collapsed onto the ancient bed. Charlie and Ace watched him from their seats,

"'Ello Dodger"

"'lo Ace, 'lo Charlie"

"You sound well, O' Artful One!"

"Shut up Ace, you plannin' on keepin' your teeth to charm the gels?"

"Ok! Point taken!" Ace chortled at Dodger's charming retort, as Emmy walked in.

"Hey Charlie, Ace, 'ave you seen-" she spotted Dodger lying face down on the bed "Ah, don't matter!" she went and sat down next to him.

"Our Artful friend is feelin' bright and cheerful this mornin'!" Charlie joked

His comment was rewarded by another hollow threat from Dodger.

Charlie simply laughed at this threat, but Dodger was not amused

"E-Emmy-y" he whined "They're bein' 'orrible"

Emmy smirked at his childishness and shuffled right up next to him. She started to absent mindedly stroke his back and hair. The other boys smirked at her obvious affection.

"They're only messin' about Dodge, you _know_ that, don't be daft"

The only answer she got was a snort into the bed,

"Well, I think we should leave 'im to sleep off 'is bad temper" Emmy said, laughing and standing up.

Charlie and Ace stood up to leave with her,

"I ain't a baby" Dodger spluttered indignantly, rolling onto his side.

"Well you're actin' like one" Emmy laughed back

"I'm a great actor"

"You are indeed"

"Why thank you"

"Go to sleep Dodger, you've been 'ung over too often lately!"

-------------------------------------------------

Emmy, Charlie and Ace, feeling rather strange without either Barnsey or Dodger, sat down on the sofa in the main room.

Charlie was still brooding over Barnsey's predicament

_"I bet if he made friends with another nice girl, not one of the whores from the Whipping Stocks, a nice girl... I bet he'd get over Emmy straight away..."_

When Charlie looked at Ace, to try and figure out if they were on the same wave length, he saw Ace's face lost in thought.

"Ace, are you thinkin' what I'm thinkin'? Charlie asked

Ace looked at him, fex on one side, the picture of bafflement.

"Unless you're thinkin' about what Katie and me did-"

"Alrigh', alrigh'!" Charlie cut him off "We don't want to know!"

"'O's Katie?" Emmy asked, interested

"Ace's latest lady friend" Charlie grimaced, then was struck by sudden inspiration "Don't you think it's 'igh time some of the others got involved with the ladies, so to speak?"

"Like 'o?" Emmy asked

"Well," Charlie decided to have a bit of fun before getting down to 'business' "Dodger for hexample, I ain't seen 'im kiss a girl since... oooh... a year and an 'alf ago? Maybe more, before you met 'im anyway..."

Emmy's face was stormy, Charlie was enjoying himself however, and ploughed on

"Don't you think 'e should, y'know, see some action now and again?"

"Mmmm" Emmy said, her gaze poisonous, a million thoughts swirling around her head

"_What's Charlie getting at? He must have noticed how I feel about Dodger... but what's he saying? Does he think Dodger likes me? Surely not... Maybe he wants me to admit it... No, but what it..."_

As her confused train of thought continued on this muddled track, it was joined (and further confused) by Dodger's face, Dodger's voice, his laugh...

Charlie snapped her out of these baffling thoughts by saying

"And what about Barnsey? I 'aven't seen 'im with a gel for ages either"

"You've got a point" Emmy said, grasping the change of subject like a lifeline, relieved to have got off the subject of Dodger "D'you think we should find 'im a _friend_?"

Charlie grinned, and Ace rejoined the conversation, obviously having finished thinking about whatever he had done with Katie

"Yes, you've surely got friends 'o are gels? Are any of 'em worth Barnsey?!" he laughed as he said this.

Emmy thought hard

"Mmmm, we're not close, but I am still friends with a couple of gels, d'you want to go an' see 'em now? If we can find 'em..."

Ace clapped his hands together triumphantly

"Yeah, let's go! D'you reckon we could offer 'er lodgin's? She could work 'ere, with us"

"Good idea"

-------------------------------------------------

Charlie, Emmy and Ace walked all the way back to the street where Emmy had first been 'found' by Fagin. Here, she hoped, one of her friends still lived. She was squinting at all the faces as she walked... Then, she stopped.

A girl about their age, with loosely plaited blonde wavy hair, sparkling green eyes, and a muddy face darted out of an alley to their right. She flung herself behind a cart. Seconds later, a man came puffing out of the alley

"Where is she? Ungrateful wretch, she stole my watch! She's got my watch I say, she has indeed!"

The man looked around a few times, then ran off up the street, looking for the blonde girl.

Now that the problem was over, Emmy, Charlie and Ace walked over to the girl, who was examining an expensive looking pocket watch. On closer observation they could see that she was pretty in a clear sort of way (very different to Emmy's dark beauty), and more curvy than Emmy too.

"'Ello Annie" Emmy said, grinning widely.

The girl did a double take.

"Emmy?!"

"Yup"

"You disappeared ages ago! More'n a year! We all figured you'd been caught"

"Well!! You thought I was caught?! No way, I'm far too good"

The girls laughed and hugged.

"This is Ace, and Charlie"

"'Ello" Annie said brightly

Charlie now stepped forward

"We 'ave come to hoffer you a favour"

"Go on then" Annie grinned at his formal manner

"Do you want to come an' live with all us? We're all pickpockets, we just pay a little money to Fagin - a respectable gentleman - an' 'e looks after us"

"You mean you're askin' me to live in a proper 'ouse?" Annie looked incredulous

"Yup, with walls an' a roof. Oh, and lots of damp, and rot!" Ace laughed.

Annie deliberated for a minute, sucking her bottom lip as she thought,

"Wild 'orses couldn't stop me"

They all laughed,

"Welcome aboard"

-------------------------------------------------

**Well!**

**What did you think?**

**Hope you enjoyed it **

**PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW (you know you can hear the button :P its calling...)**

**Those reviews motivate me :)**

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**Cheers**

**Blackfishy**

**xxxxx**


	9. Annie is Hintroduced

**Disclaimer - I do not own Oliver Twist of Oliver:)**

**Sir-Not-Appearing-In-This-Show - hahaha, well that makes two of us who need shooting for our updates LOL. Hope you like this chapter :)**

**OK then, lets get this party started!**

Chapter 9 - Annie is hintroduced...

The four of them walked back to the house. Emmy and Annie catching up on everything that had happened over the time since they'd seen each other, Charlie and Ace talking quietly about how the other boys would react to the new arrival.

As they reached the house, Ace pushed the door open. There were a few of the boys, including Barnsey but not Dodger, sat around playing cards and smoking,

"Hintroducin' Miss Annie!" Ace announced as they all walked in.

There were a few "'Ello"s and other greetings. Barnsey, however, sat and stared at the new pickpocket in surprise. Annie blushed a little at his gaze.

"'E looks sweet" she laughed at his open mouth and surprised expression

Emmy smirked and led Annie over to him.

"Annie, this is Barnsey-"

Here, Ace and Charlie interrupted,

"Yes! Annie, Barnsey will show you 'round, and 'e'll take you out on business too! Well, get to know each other!"

Barnsey sent the two boys a bewildered but slightly suspicious face, but Charlie and Ace just turned around, and went out again.

"Well Annie, 'ow about you tell Barnsey 'ow you ended up on the streets, it ain't 'ALF a story-"

Here Emmy was interrupted again, as Dodger stumbled out of the bedroom and hugged her from behind,

"Awww Emmy I'm soooooooooo tiiiiiiiiired" he moaned, leaning on her.

"Well go an' SLEEP then!" Emmy exclaimed, shrugging him off and gently pushing him back towards the bedroom

"It's borin' though"

"What are y-? Sleeping, boring? Oh gawd you are bein' immature Dodge!"

"Mmph" Dodger said, sitting down heavily on the sofa, at the other end to Barnsey. Emmy sat down next to Dodger, leaving a space for Annie between herself and Barnsey.

Emmy started indroductions, smirking at Dodger when he pulled a face at her

"Annie, this 'orrible creature 'ere is the Artful Dodger, Dodger this is Annie"

"Good" Dodger said with no expression

"Ignore 'im," Barnsey said, taking them all by surprise. "'E's 'ung over, tell me 'ow you ended up on the streets"

Annie beamed at him.

"Oh, OK then...

"When I was eight I lived in a big 'ouse. I 'ad a mother, a father and an 'ole load of servants. I was brought up to behave like a lady. I 'ated it though, everythin' was about appearance, no-one cared if you were 'appy or not...

"My father was not a popular man. He 'ad a lot of people 'o borrowed money from 'im, and 'e wasn't exactly kind if they didn't pay it back at the right time"

"Bastard" Dodger commented

Annie grinned and continued

"Yeah, so one day, one of 'is 'clients' 'ad a big problem, 'e was massively in debt and couldnt' pay back my father. My father was sayin' somethin' about raisin' inrest, or intrest or somethin'. Anyway, this man panicked and set fire to our 'ouse. My father died, I know, but I dont' know much else. All I could think was to run. Some'ow I got out of the house, but i kept runnin'...

"Now I've been living on the streets for eight years, not as long as Emmy though!"

"So you're sixteen, like us?" Dodger interrupted again.

"Yeah," Annie replied "And that's it! I'm definitely not the young lady I would 'ave been if I'd stayed"

"But you do 'ave very pretty manners," Emmy laughed

"And your haccent ain't as bad as ours" Dodger grunted.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Barnsey was thinking hard

"_I bet Ace and Charlie planned this, and brought her here deliberately but... I don't know, when they all walked in and I saw her, I forgot all about Emmy, and when she was talking I couldn't hear anything else... I'm turning into a right soppy bastard..."_

He paced the room, Emmy and Dodger had taken Annie upstairs to see Fagin

_"But can you know if you like someone, I mean LIKE like someone, when you've only known them ten minutes... Surely you can't... Maybe you can, maybe I do like her! I never felt like this about Emmy, that's for sure, but... Hang on, what DID I feel for Emmy? I mean, it was very sudden, I just decided I liked her I s'pose... Ace was right, I just got over her straight away!"_

He grinned to himself, life DID deal you the right cards sometimes...

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

One week later, Barnsey and Dodger were in the main room alone. Dodger was lying on his back with his hat over his face on the sofa, and Barnsey was hanging up handkerchiefs. Emmy and Annie had just left to go and see Nancy

"She's beautiful ain't she?" Barnsey said, referring to Annie

Dodger, correctly guessing who Barnsey was talking about, replied

"She ain't got nowt on Emmy"

"I _knew_ you were keen on 'er!" Barnsey cheered

"Sh'up, I ain't keen on 'er" Dodger retorted, turning pink underneath his hat

"Yes you ARE, gawd Dodger, EVERYONE knows!"

Dodger snorted in response to this.

Barnsey continued more slyly, feeling more bold than usual,

"Oh, maybe you're right Dodger... myabe you aren't keen on Emmy, I mean, you always _did_ used to say you were gonna marry Nancy..."

Dodger sent Barnsey a withering look,

"I was eight at the time Barnsey"

"Only eight years ago!" Barnsey taunted, laughing to himself

"You KNOW Nancy's like a mother to all of us, I didn't know what love MEANT when I was that young!" Dodger said, feeling got at.

"Oh, so you do know what love means NOW then?"

Dodger looked at his shoes, then he got up, and tried to sidle to the door,

"Why are we 'avin' this conversation anyway eh Barnsey? Pretty pointless..."

"Jack Dawkins, stop trying to change the subject!" Barnsey said in the sort of tone that a mother would use with a naughty child

Dodger froze at the use of his name,

"Fine," he stumped back to the sofa and slouched moodily down on it "I _do_ know what love is like now... Well, I think I do hanyway"

Here Barnsey was about to take the plunge and ask _who_ Dodger loved (just to be sure) but the girls came tripping back through the door,

Dodger turned bright red when he saw Emmy, Barnsey burst out laughing at the look on Dodger's face

"Erm," Dodger cleared his throat and tried to sound casual (well, as casual as is possible when your face is impersonating a giant tomato) "So... 'ow much of our talk did you two 'ear?"

Emmy raised an eyebrow,

"We didn't 'ear nowt... why? What were you two talkin' about?!"

"Nothin'!"

"Dodger!" Barnsey exclaimed "That doesn't make it obvious at _all_"

Emmy laughed

"Don't worry Barnsey, I'll get it out of 'im" she leaned close to Dodger,who had stood up, and looked at him with an evil glint in her eye

Dodger gulped.

"Barnsey, Fagin said - that's where we've been by the way, to see Fagin, 'e's down the Whippin' Stocks - anyway, Fagin said that you an' Annie should stick together as partners for 'business', you're workin' well together"

Barnsey nodded and he and Annie left the house.

"Quiet that 'un" Dodger nodded at Annie's retreating back, his face had now regained normal colouring thankfully.

"Mmm, but she' s one of the best pickpockets I know" Emmy replied

"What, better than me?" Dodger pretended to sulk

Emmy looked up at Dodger, her eyes sparkling,

"No, you're the best pickpocket I've ever met"

"I suppose I am really" Dodger said airily, straightening his waistcoat

Emmy continued

"And also the most arrogant pickpocket I've ever met!"

"'Ey! I find that hoffensive!"

"Well that was the general idea..."

"Emmy..."

"Yeeess?"

"I think duty, honour and open pockets are callin'... to business?"

"Oh yes, let's go!" Emmy laughed.

And together they walked out of the house and down the street.

**Well well well**

**Three holes in the ground**

**lmao**

**Anyway**

**Hope you enjoyed the chapter.**

**REVIEW TIME**

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**Stick this on Story Alert too, coz my updates are weirdly spaced out... :S **

**I'll love you forever  
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**Blackfishy**

**xxxxx**


	10. A Bad Experience for Miss King

**Disclaimer - I do not own Oliver Twist/Oliver:)**

**Sethsmababy - Blimey, I never thought I'd get so many reviews from one person in one evening! Although some of the things you point out make me cringe in embarrassment you are a brilliant reviewer. Thanks so much for the help :)**

**Broken Amethyst - Thanks so much for the reviews and encouragement - you're fantastic! Hope you enjoy this chapter.**

**Well, on we go - the BIG one zero - Chapter 10**

**Hope you like it, although this chapter is a bit, **_**dark**_** I suppose :S  
**

**Read and R E V I E W**

Chapter 10 - A bad experience for Miss King

Charlie and Ace danced around.

"Talk about pickin' a lucky card!" Ace cheered, when Barnsey and Annie walked in, holding hands.

Annie, who had now been living there for four weeks, smiled widely.

"If only Emmy and Dodger were as straight to the point as you two!" Charlie grinned

"If only!" Ace laughed as Dodger tore through the room, holding Emmy's apron aloft.

"GIVE IT BACK 'ERE YOU... YOU... DODGER!" Emmy yelled, racing after him.

They disappeared through the door to the stairs, and after a minute Emmy returned, wearing Dodger's hat (holding her own hat in her hands) and doing a very accurate impression of his swagger. Seconds later Dodger emerged, Fagin right behind him, holding the unfortunate Master Dawkins by the scruff of the neck.

"Dodger! Emmy! Out NOW I say!" Fagin bellowed in his slightly hoarse voice "Go, and do somethin' USEFUL!"

Emmy and Dodger scarpered as the other pickpockets sniggered at Fagin's exasperated face.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Emmy and Dodger wandered down the streets. It was a busy day, market day, and there were huge crowds.

"I'll stay around 'ere, you go over there by that bookshop" Dodger pointed at the bookshop across an alley from the shop where he stood, "And 'ere's your apron back!" he threw the apron to Emmy, who caught it and put it back on.

"Ok," she replied "See you in a bit"

Emmy walked over to the window of the bookshop, and pretended to be looking in. A lady with two children passed her,

_'They're no good' _she thought, and wondered how long it would be before anyone worthwhile passed...

Just then, Emmy saw a young man walk down the alley to her right. He looked well off, and had a wallet sticking out of his jacket pocket.

Emmy smirked, and slunk after him.

Shem came up right next to him, but now they were in the deserted alleyway, with no jostling crowd to disguise her actions.

The man was now looking through the grimy window of a sleazy tavern, then, drawing back, he opened the door and went in.

Emmy wrinkled her nose in confusion, wondering what on earth a respectable young man would want in a pub like that, even worse than the Whipping Stocks.

But just as she was pondering this, and about to turn around and head back out of the alley, something happened. A man, red faced and poorly dressed, staggered from the door of the tavern. He was clearly drunk, and there was something about him that Emmy did not like.

He leered at her, she took an involuntary step backwards, becoming more and more nervous. Then, as quick as lightening, he grabbed her shoulders and forced his mouth over hers, his hands roaming to places that she wouldn't care to speak about. He pulled back for a minute, still holding her in an iron grip.

Emmy struggled wildly, twisting her arms and kicking her legs as the man backed her further and further down the empty alley.

His breath was rancid, his lips cold and rough. Emmy turned her head to free her mouth, and managed to shout, her voice ragged with fear and pain,

"DODGER! DODGER, PLEASE!"

But here she was once again silenced as the man, amazingly steady on his feet, clapped a hand over her mouth, and started wrenching open the buttons on the back of her dress...

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dodger was having a good day. He already had two handkerchiefs and a wallet. He had his eye on another, when he heard something. His name. He looked around, trying to figure out where it was coming from. Then he heard it again, louder.

"Emmy?" he looked to where Emmy had been, minutes before...

"Crap!" he exclaimed, running towards the alley that he had heard her voice coming from.

As he ran down the alley he heard her shout again,

"No! NO!"

Then he saw her. She was flat against the back wall of the alley, her dress half off her shoulders, desperately trying to elude her attacker.

"EMMY!" Dodger shouted, running full pelt down the slimy alley, "Get AWAY from 'er, you BASTARD! GET AWAY FROM 'ER!"

The man turned in surprise, stumbling in his drunkenness. Upon seeing Dodger, and the other people who had gathered at the sound of the yelling, he turned and fled back into the grimy tavern from whence he had appeared.

Emmy had collapsed onto the wall, trying to pull her dress back onto her shoulders. Giving up, she broke down, throwing herself into Dodger's arms.

"Oh D-Dodger, I-I... 'e, 'e tried to... to"

"Shh, calm down, c'mon let's go 'ome" Dodger intoned, feeling rather awkward,

"No, n-no... I d-don't want to see... anyone"

"OK, let's go back to the market place then"

Still holding Emmy tightly in his arms, he steered her back out of the alley,

"I-It was 'orrible, Dodge, 'orrible... I don't never want to kiss anyone ever... EVER, again..."

Dodger rested his forehead on hers, looking into her eyes, glassy with tears.

"Don't worry, I won't let no-one kiss you"

Emmy buried her face in his neck, sending shivers down his spine

_'NO! This is not the time for weird feelings...' h_e thought to himself desperately, but his brain continued _'So, she _"Never wants to kiss anyone again" _eh? Bad luck old boy'_

"In fact, I won't let anyone NEAR you, if you don't want 'em!" Dodger said out loud to Emmy.

Emmy laughed weakly, and Dodger rested his forehead on hers again, looking straight into her blue eyes, which were dark with hurt.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Emmy looked into the muddy chocolate swirl of Dodger's eyes. Any other day, she would have been wishing he would kiss her... but today, after that ordeal, all that filled her mind were those cold lips, and rough hands...

_'I'm such a mess'_ she thought _'he'd never like me! I should probably just give up... What if he hadn't arrived in time then though... What if...'_

His eyes comforted her, and she decided to just keep looking into them... But then she lost courage, feeling that maybe Dodger could see right into her, and what she was thinking. She lay her head on his shoulder and held him tight.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When Emmy had stopped crying and calmed down, they 'bought' some bread, and walked slowly back to the house, eating it.

"Are you feelin', erm, any better now?" Dodger asked tentatively, worried he might trigger another bout of tears.

"Yeah, much better now... I'll be myself soon" Emmy replied quietly.

Dodger sighed roughly, trying to block out the 'smallness' in Emmy's voice, the defeated sound that he had never heard before.

"D'you want to tell the others?" he asked

"I s'pose they'll find out anyway... We'll tell Annie, Charlie, Ace and Barnsey, that's all..."

Dodger felt so sorry for Emmy that he thought his heart was about to burst out of his chest,

"I think you should talk to Nancy" he blurted out "I bet she'd make you feel better"

"Yeah, I probably will..."

Sensing (possibly a little too late) that Emmy was not enjoying the conversation, Dodger shut up, and they walked in a silence that was not uncomfortable, back to the house.

**Well!**

**I know that was a bit short, but oh well.**

**Please review and tell me what you think :)**

**Thanks**

**Blackfishyxxxx**

**PS - next chapter is more light hearted :)**


	11. Recovery

**Disclaimer - I do not own Oliver Twist/Oliver!**

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**OK - on with the show...**

Chapter 11 - Recovery

It was three weeks to the day since Emmy's ordeal. She had mostly recovered, but sometimes she suffered from terrible nightmares. She flinched if someone touched her unexpectedly; Dodger had never felt so hurt as when she flinched at his hands.

On dark, and quite cold, June night Emmy woke up again, tears falling down her pale face.

She turned to Annie - there was now a seperate 'bed' for the girls - but the blonde haired girl rolled away from Emmy's clammy, trembling hands. It would appear that Annie's unconscious self was fed up of being woken up to comfort her friend. Emmy sniffed, a few more tears sliding down her face.

She swung her legs out of bed, wearing only her petticoat, and tiptoed over to the boys' bed.

"Dodge, D-Dodge?" she whispered, her voice quavering. She shook his shoulder.

Dodger opened his eyes and saw Emmy crying, cold and scared. Horrified, he caught her cold hands, and pulled her under his blanket with him. He wrapped his around her in an attempt to warm her up, and Emmy buried her face in his neck.

Dodger's eyes flew open. He had forgotten the effect that Emmy in a petticoat had on him... He tried to move a bit further away from her, she was sending shivers down his neck and making his skin burn, but she snuggled closer to him again.

"Don't leave me Dodge" she breathed "You said you'd keep me safe, you will, won't you?"

Feeling her breath against his neck, Dodger let out a shuddering sigh, and was filled with a sudden urge to protect her. He hugged her hard to his chest.

"I promise"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next day, while counting handkerchiefs, Dodger talked to Barnsey about Emmy,

"And I just wish I could stop all these weird feelin's..."

Barnsey raised an eyebrow, feeling strangely superior now that he was the one who was being asked for advice...

"'Ow do you know she don't 'ave 'weird feelin's' too, eh Dodger?"

"Course she don't..."

"Right, I'll leave you to wallow in self pity then"

"Noooo..." Dodger groaned.

Barnsey paused and looked back at Dodger questioningly

Dodger took a deep breath,

"'Ow could I... 'Ow did you..." he asked, then stopped

"'Ow did I what?" Barnsey asked, faintly amused by Dodger's distress

"Don't matter" Dodger scowled at his boots.

Barnsey rolled his eyes and left the room, whistling.

Emmy tripped in a couple of minutes later.

"'Ey Dodge, 'ere's another one" she threw him another handkerchief.

"Ta"

"'Ow many are there?" she asked, interested

"Three lots of sixteen" Dodger said, flushing

"What?" Emmy looked confused

Dodger screwed up his face,

"Is it my fault I can't count over sixteen?"

"No! Course not... come on Dodge, we all know you're more cleverer than me! _You_ can read and write a bit!"

"You can write" Dodger said, feeling uncomfortable

"Only my name, and i can't count past 19... too confusin'..." Emmy grinned at him

Fagin, tired of all this, shouted from the other side of the room

"Three sixteens are... 48 m'dears!"

Dodger grinned back at Emmy,

"Yep, WAY too complicated!"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That night when it was dark, at about 10 o'clock, Charlie came bursting in from outside.

"Go up the stairs, quick!"

All wondering why, the pickpockets followed Charlie upstairs, and out onto the raised walkway at the back of the house.

As they left the house they heard an earsplitting 'BANG' from the direction of the Thames. They all jumped at the unexpected noise, and turned to see what it was.

"Oh!" Annie gasped, as another 'BANG' went off, and they all saw what had caused it.

Bright sparks, all different colours, had exploded in the sky. This was followed by another, and another.

"What are they?" Emmy asked, awestruck. Dodger did not answer, he was staring at the sky, mouth open in astonishment.

Emmy laughed at his gormless face,

"Take it you don't know either then!"

"Fireworks!" Fagin exclaimed, bounding out onto the walkway like some wrinkled demon in a long coat.

"What are they for?" Dodger asked, jumping and grabbing his hat to stop it falling off as a particularly loud one exploded.

"Just to look pretty m'dears!" Fagin said, rubbing his hands together, "Like jewels..." he continued dreamily "Only not so expensive!"

Dodger sent him a weird look and turned to continue watching the fireworks.

"There's probably some important occasion happening, that'll be why they're having a firework display" Fagin said, ignoring Dodger.

They all just stood there watching in amazed silence. As the fireworks went on, most of the pickpockets drifted back inside, but some remained.

Emmy leant back, using Dodger as a prop. He put his arms around her, her back warm against his chest. A warm fuzzy feeling spread through him and he smiled blissfully.

They stayed like that for a long time, and watched fireworks flying and exploding in the black night sky.

Eventually, only Emmy and Dodger were left, along with Barnsey, Annie, Charlie and Ace.

The latter four looked as if they were quietly talking, but they were really watching Emmy and Dodger keenly.

Emmy, oblivious to the spies in the shadows, turned her head and looked up at Dodger. She smiled at him happily, wishing he would kiss her...

Dodger looked down at Emmy, hoping she couldn't see up his nose, and thought about how nice it would be to just lean down and kiss her... He took a deep breath, and slowly lowered his head... Their lips were millimetres apart, he could feel her breath caressing his lips... then a memory crashed into his mind

"_I don't want to kiss nobody ever... EVER again"_

Just as he remembered Emmy saying this, a firework cracked.

Dodger quickly looked, startled by the firework and confused by the memory, at the explosion of colour.

Emmy sighed exasperatedly as Dodger's head snapped away from hers to look at the firework,

"Dodge!" she said sharply, trying to get him to look back at her

Dodger jumped away from her, thinking she was angry with him for trying to kiss her,

"Sorry!" he said quickly

"What for?"

"Erm..." Dodger reddened

"Oh for 'eaven's sake!" Emmy, frustrated, flounced back into the house.

Dodger watched her go, utterly bewildered.

Ace walked over to him, and clapped a hand on his shoulder,

"Dodger my friend, you are 'opeless, you know that?"

Dodger sighed, taking off his hat for a minute and running a hand through his hair. Jamming his hat back onto his head, he turned to Ace,

"Yeah, I'm beginning to feel that way..."

**SO!  
What did we think?**

**As usual please review :D :D :D**

**You know you love it**

**Blackfishy**

**xxx**


	12. In Which Emmy is Exasperated

**Disclaimer - I do not own Oliver Twist/Oliver! I do not have a beard and am therefore not Charles Dickens :D**

**Charlene Bates - As i have told you, you make me laugh so much! Thanks so much for the review!! Hope you enjoy this chapter :D**

**Broken Amethyst - Hope you enjoy this chapter!! Thanks for reviewing :P**

**BLIMEY - THIS IS THE PENULTIMATE CHAPTER :O**

**Only one more after this one (sniff)**

**So i hope you enjoy it!!!**

Chapter 12 - In Which Emmy Is Exasperated

Emmy was very cool towards Dodger for several days after the event with the fireworks. Even she herself knew that she was being unreasonable, but the frustration at Dodger's actions had to be vented somewhere...

"I _know _I'm bein' stupid Annie...but I don't know what to do, or think... or _nothin'_!" she said desperately.

"Well... you are bein'... well maybe you're bein' a _little_ harsh on 'im Emmy?" Annie replied carefullly

"Mmm? I s'pose so... I just... 'ey! You've got a new dress!" Emmy pulled Annie's shawl off her.

"NO! Emmy!" Annie protested, but it was too late.

"Cor Annie, it's a bit showy innit?"

The dress had a very low neckline, and a very pinched in waist. It was a royal blue in colour, and although the elbows were a little shabby it did not look that old. There was a little black lace showing at the neckline...

Emmy froze in realisation.

"Annie... you ain't... Oh you 'aven't... 'ave you?"

Annie took a deep breath

"I 'ave to make a livin'!"

"Not like THAT!" Emmy retaliated.

"Emmy! I 'aven't actually done anythin' yet, I #ave to be taught first..."

Emmy stuck out her chin obstinately, obviously thinking of a retort, but Annie got there first,

"Emmy, don't bother" she said before Emmy could say a word "I've made up my mind, and I've talked to Barnsey 'bout it too... He says I should do what I need to... and I can't survive on what I'm earnin' at the moment. You and Dodger don't realise 'ow good you are at pickin' pockets... You two sometimes make more in a day than I do in a week! This is the only way for me..."

"But-"

"EMMY!" Annie interrupted her again "Will you just be behind me, and be a good friend?"

Emmy looked at the floor.

"I'm sorry Annie, I'm in a mess... I'll be be'ind you every step of the way"

It was at this highly strung and emotional moment that the Artful Dodger shambled in.

His eyebrows shot up into his fringe at the sight of Annie's new attire, and he said

"Ah, goin' down that road are you?"

Annie nodded once, firmly, and stood up and left the room.

Emmy sat down on the bed, grinding her hands into her eyes,

"I'm so tired"

"Mmmm" Dodger said, afraid that she would snap at him... after all, she hadn't spoken to him for about four days.

They sat in an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes...

"What's wrong with you?" Dodger exclaimed, his courage winning over self preservation

Emmy bowed her head. There was no fire in her eyes today... it seemed to have been snuffed out

"I'm sorry... I..."

Dodger raised an eyebrow, 

"Yes?" he asked, still feeling brave "I'm fed up of you bein' so 'orrid and- OK OK!" he squealed the last part as Emmy's head snapped up to look him in the eye

"I ain't gonna shout" she said apologetically

"You'd 'ave been laughin' now if we'd 'ad this talk a month ago" Dodger said glumly

"Mmm..." Emmy sniffed and rubbed her nose violently. But the tears came. Like knives they streaked down her face, cutting into her pride.

Dodger looked at her helplessly, moved closer, and touched her arm. Emmy flinched. So did Dodger.

"Emmy, you can tell me what ain't right can't you?"

"If you 'aven't guessed (sniff) I ain't (sniff) goin' to tell you" Emmy muttered

"_You_ 'aven't started sellin' yourself 'ave you?!" Dodger asked suddenly, wide eyed. with worry

"NO! Why are you even (sniff) bothered, eh Dodge?"

Dodger looked at her, she was sniffling into her sleeve now, and blinking furiously to try and get rid of the tears.

"I'm bothered..." he took a deep breath "I'm bothered, 'cause I... 'cause I care about you Emmy... a lot... more'n anythin' else"

With this he drew himself up, and wondered what in heaven's name he should do now. She was standing in a stunned silence.

His hands were shaking with the emotion of what he had said...

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Emmy was stunned. What had Dodger said? Did he mean as a friend? Somehow from the silence she thought not... Did that mean he cared for her?

But Emmy's brain seemed to have frozen, and by the time that she thought that she should _probably _look at him, and tell him that she cared too, he had gone.

Emmy jumped to her feet, her mouth still open in astonishment, and stared at the door that Dodger had run out of.

"Wha'? I-" she ran to the door and tried to open it as quickly as possible, resulting in her falling out of the door in her haste to get out.

"DODGE!" she shouted. But no-one heard.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dodger's feet pounded on the muddy cobbles. The rain had finally stopped, but it was still the coldest and cloudiest June day that Dodger had ever known.

The slimy mist, that cloaked London on this sort of day, pawed at his face. It felt clammy, and as used as he was to it, Dodger hated the feel. It invaded your ears and muffled noises.

As Dodger reached one of the smaller bridges over the river - one of his favourite places to go when he was upset - he slowed to a walk.

He peered over the edge of the old bridge, into the sluggishly moving water.

The mist was really bothering him now. He was hearing things. Someone shouting his name. Emmy shouting his name.

"Don't be stupid Dodger, you're dreamin' stuff up... she'll never talk to you again now..." he muttered to himself.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Emmy's skirt tore as it caught on a nail sticking out of a wall. She didn't bat an eyelid, and just kept on running towards the place where she _knew_ Dodger would be.

The tatty pieces of cloth that had been holding her hair in bunches grew loose as she ran, and blew away. He hair now blowing the wild pre Raphaelite curls around her face and into her eyes. The mist wasn't helping. She tried calling his name, but got no reply. Pausing to catch her breath, she clutched her sides and shook her hair out of her face.

Her stomach twisting at the thought of what she was about to do, Emmy walked slowly up the steps, onto the bridge.

She saw him, standing and looking over the edge of the bridge, one hand on his hat to stop it falling off.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dodger heard steps behind him. He turned slowly to see who it was,

"Emmy?"

She just stood there for a minute, her hair wildly curling about her face and down her back. Her dress was torn in a big rip down one side, exposing the infamous petticoat, and her cheeks were flushed from running.

She took a step closer to him, putting one hand on his cheek, and stroking the side of his face with her thumb

"Why did you run?" she asked "Am I really that 'orrible?"

Dodger shook his head very fast,

"No! No no you ain't 'orrible at all, you- I-"

At this point he was cut off. For Emmy, using all the courage she had, had stepped forward and kissed him.

Dodger's eyes flew open when her lips touched his, then she shut them tight. He was stupefied, and completely forgot that he should, perhaps, respond?

Emmy drew back, her eyes wide,

"'ave I made a terrible mistake?" she asked tentatively

"No, you ain't made any mistakes just... do it again? Please?"

Emmy smiled

"Well this time..." she put her face very close to his, so their lips were practically touching "You kiss back" their lips met for a second and then she pulled back "Or do you not know how?" she kissed him again for a second, then broke away...

But Dodger had finally woken up, and before she could pull her head away, he put an arm around her waist, pulling her closer, and the other arm around her neck, his hand gently on the back of her head.

Emmy grinned and slid her arms around his neck.

Dodger leant forward, and pressed his lips to hers. As he felt her respond, her lips pressing back, and her tongue flickering lightly over his bottom lip, he opened his mouth and let the kiss progress.

They were oblivious to the disapproving looks of the more refined passers by, as they told each other all the things that they had ever wanted to.

And, despite the slimy fog, and the horrendous teasing that they would surely endure when they returned to the house, they were completely happy.

**Well!**

**They finally worked it out (dances about)**

**:D**

**Please review and let me know what you think!**

**:D  
**

**Only ONE MORE CHAPTER!!!**

**Love you guys**

**Blackfishy**

**xx**


	13. The End

**Disclaimer - I do not own Oliver Twist/Oliver!**

**Riiiighty ho, reviewers...**

**Sethsmababy - hahahahaha you make me laugh - hope you like this chapter, well, more of an epiloguey sort of thing **

**Charlene Bates - :D Yaaaay, Im glad you liked it! Here is the last chapter :) **

**Protego Totalem - Yes, as I have said I will try and do a sequel, I would greatly appreciate it if you email me any ideas you have... :D**

**Sir-Not-Appearing-In-This-Show - :D glad you enjoyed it, here is the last chapter for you :)**

**Broken Amethyst - Ah yes, Annie seems to have made her decision... Oh well, some things don't work out - she's happy remember :) and also... YAY THEYRE TOGETHER!!!**

**OK - here is the last chapter - a sort of epilogue if you will ;D**

**I know its been ages, and I'm very sorry you've had to wait so long.**

**Its very short, **_**(small voice:: don't moan at me)**_** I had to take out some of it so a sequel would be possible... **

**Any ideas for the sequel? Email them to me/stick them in your review!**

**Roll on...**

Chapter 13 - The End...

(A year and a half later)

The house in which the pickpockets lived was, as usual, full of noise and movement.

The room with the sofa, now more battered than ever, was full of boys and girls, with ages ranging from six or seven to, in very few cases, seventeen.

Many of the children and young teenagers were new, but many old lags remained.

Ace was there, sitting in the corner in which he had always sat, dealing cards to Charlie who sat across the table from him.

Somehow, at the same time as playing cards, Ace was managing to flirt outrageously with all the girls he had brought back with him. All the while, Charlie merely looked embarrassed by his friend's flirtatious nature.

Fagin, of course, was upstairs, counting his beloved treasures. Nancy sat with him, her 'work' at the Whipping Stocks done for the day.

Many of the muddy faced younger boys and girls, clad in filthy and torn clothes, raced around the room, chasing after one boy who was running as fast as he could away from the others, holding a shilling high above his head. He looked about seven years old.

Barnsey and Annie were sitting on the sofa, Annie holding a new baby in her arms. No-one was entirely sure whose the baby was, Barnsey's or someone else's, given Annie's profession; but it was a sweet little thing nonetheless. It did, however, keep the house awake on some nights, driving the other teenagers insane, but the younger pickpockets loved the strange, red little creature, so it was well cared for.

Now we come to Emmy and Dodger.

Standing at the edge of the room, arms around each other, mouths fused together, somehow seeming to be the centre of attention even though no-one was looking their way, and they were almost silent...

Dodger remembered the pandemonium that had occurred when everyone had found out that he and Emmy were courting at last...

_(A year and a half ago)_

_They returned from the bridge holding hands. They said nothing about what had happened between them... except to each other._

_Later that night, Fagin had gone out, leaving them all with two bottles of some spirit or another._

_The main room was in uproar, the boys, Emmy and Annie getting merrier as the night drew on._

_They all gathered around the table, singing and shouting, as various boys got up onto the table and told jokes, sang stupid songs or danced ridiculously to wild applause._

_After about five of these 'acts', one of the boys shouted_

_  
"It's the Dodger's turn!"_

_Dodger grinned and leapt onto the table, extended a hand, and helped Emmy up too. Then boys quietened a little, waiting to see what Dodger would do._

_Dodger looked at Emmy and winked, then, he took hold of her hands, whirled her in a circle then pulled her close to him._

_The boys wolf whistled as he did this, but the wolf whistles turned to cheers as he dipped Emmy low and kissed her, slowly standing up as the kiss continued._

_When they broke apart he heard Charlie and Aces tuneless singing,_

_"We TOLD you so, we TOLD you so!"_

_-----------------------------------------------------_

Dodger smiled at this memory, and buried his head in Emmy's curls.

_'Sometimes'_ he thought _'things do turn out right'_

_.fin._

**Well!**

**Please review and tell me your thoughts (hopefully good thoughts!!)**

**Any ideas for a sequel? Let me know, ideas are WELCOME!**

**Again I'm sorry about the shortness and how long it's taken me to get this up, mock exams are in full swing here:( **

**So! Please review, thank you for reading, and goodbye for now!**

**With much love,**

**Blackfishy**

**xxx**


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